One Call Away

Maranda’s POV

I woke up to my alarm at six. The Coffee Shop was remodeling for the fifth time in the last two years trying to keep up with the new aesthetics. That was good for me though. I did all of the art work for them. This remodel was also my favorite design yet. Photo realism sketches. I got out of bed going over to the drawing I had been trying to finish for them. It was the last one, a picture of two women sitting at a table with their drinks.

I had my friend and roommate Kat take the photo for me to copy. She was a local photographer but she also traveled all over the world for different research projects companies would ask her to do. She made a lot of money doing it and loved every second. Even when she would be stressing over if they were good enough or putting the photographs in the right order for a slideshow.

I was almost finished with the last details when my phone went off. I see it’s our friend Emma who worked at The Coffee Shop.

“Hello.” I answer setting down my pencil.

“Hey! Are you bringing that last drawing today? Jack wanted to make sure so he could figure out where to put it.”

“Yeah. I’m finishing it now.” I glance over at the clock on my wall seeing it was already 7:30.

“Good! I’ll see you in a bit then.”

I hang up the phone putting in the last touches then signing my name at the bottom of it. I wrapped the canvas in brown paper so the image wouldn’t be damaged then put it into my bag. I got dressed quickly heading out the door to deliver it.

I walk into the building seeing Jack standing at the register. “Hey Jack. I got the last one.” I say pulling it out of my bag for him.

“Thanks!” He reaches under the counter getting an envelope for me. I open it counting the money inside. “Sorry it isn’t more.” He says scratching the back of his head.

“Hey as long as I get the free tea I’m happy.” I say smiling at him. “Besides. I never planned on making it rich off of art. It’s called starving artist for a reason.” We both laugh at my joke before he hands me my iced green tea. “Thanks.” I say to him going over to my table to draw while I had my drink.

I was working on a sketch of Ares, Kat’s ball python, when I heard someone yell. I look up seeing three Asian guys sitting at a table. I made eye contact with one of them before he turned to look at the one I assumed yelled. They continue talking to each other when I notice the other one look in my direction then gets the one who yelled attention. The loud one got up to get a couple drinks then sat back down with them.

I had no idea what they were saying or what language it was they were using. I decided to just ignore the situation going back to Ares. I kept feeling like someone was watching me however. I glanced up scanning the room but didn’t move my head so whoever it was wouldn’t look away.
The same one as before was looking at me frequently. I noticed my tea was finished so I quickly put my things away leaving. I was tired of being stared at.

I got into my car driving around the city for a bit to see if there was anything I needed photographed for references then headed home. I walk into the living room seeing Kat lounging on the couch listening to her Kpop. I didn’t listen to it with the exclusion of Big Bang. It didn’t really bother me that she would have it on either. Today was Big Bang however so I was enjoying it.

I sit down on the other end of the couch. “So something weird happened today.” I said scrunching my face in confusion.

“What’s that?” She asked pausing the video.

“I took the drawing over to Jack today and while I was drinking my tea, there were these three guys there. One of them kept staring at me.”

“Did they say anything?”

“Not to me. They just talked to each other. I have no clue what they were saying though. It was in another language.” I say shrugging my shoulders. “I left right after I finished my tea.”

“Well what were they?” She asked confused.

“Asian of some sort.” I pull out my book to work on Ares more. I then realize my pencil isn’t in my bag. “Dammit!” I yell dumping it out to make sure.

“What?” She asks confused starting her video again.

“I left my pencil there. I left in such a hurry because the one was staring at me I must have not picked it up off the table.”

“I’m sure Emma or Jack will find it. Just go in tomorrow.”

The next day I walked into the shop at 9:00. I start to set my things down at my table. When I turn around the guy that had been staring at me was standing there.

I smiled nervously at him. He looked so young compared to the other two.

“Hello.” He stuttered out in a small accent. He seemed so nervous not being able to keep eye contact. I couldn’t understand the rest of what he said from how fast he blurted it out. I then see his hand reach out. In it was my pencil. I took it out of his shaking hand.

Before I could say anything he ran out the door. “Thank you!” I yelled after him but he was gone. The other two quickly followed to catch him. The shorter of the two with broad shoulders smiled at me with almost an apology look on his face as they left.

“What was that?” I hear Emma say behind me.

“I forgot my pencil yesterday.” I say holding it up. “He was returning it to me.” I then turn to her seeing my drink in her hand. “Thanks.” I say taking it from her.

“What did he say to you?” She asked sitting down with me.

“All I caught was ‘Hello’. He spoke too fast for me to understand anything else.” I say taking a drink.

“Yeah when he came in yesterday his order was a little hard to understand but he is cute.” She says with a slight grin.

“He looks twelve.” I say rolling my eyes at her understanding where she was going with it.

“I’m just saying he is cute is all.” She says defending herself. “Besides, Asian people always look younger than they really are. Did you get a chance to say thank you or did he run out too quickly?”

“Ran out.” I say laughing.

“Well they have been here two days in a row now. Come in tomorrow so you can actually thank him.” She then stands up going back to work.

I take out my sketch book turning to the page Ares was on. I started working on his scales more but I just couldn’t get into it. I pick up my things walking over to the counter when I see Jack come out of the office.

“Hey Maranda. How’s it going?” He asks upon seeing me.

“Good.” I say huffing. “Can I watch the surveillance video from yesterday?” He never minded when I did that. He knew it was so I could draw someone.

He took me to the office turning on the screens. “What time?” He asks rewinding the tape.

“I’m not sure. I want when those three guys got here to when they left.” I say sitting down at the desk getting out my book and pencil.

He found where they left right after I did. He had seen my pencil running out the door to give it to me. I was so focused in getting out of there because of him now I just felt bad about it. I watched the look on his face when I walked in. He had been looking at my drawing by the door. I had him pause the video there.

I started drawing his face paying careful attention to his almond shaped eyes. There was almost a spark in them which was hard to find when people would see you drawing them or taking their picture. I had the advantage of using the cameras to get his. As I worked on the drawing I started finding myself mesmerized by him.

There was just something that pulled me towards him. His slightly parted lips, chocolate eyes. But the flaws too. He had noticeably grown into his nose, a small scar on his cheek, and a few zits here and there. But all of those things are what make people real.

Jack came back in after an hour to bring me a new tea. Throwing the empty cup away for me.

“How’s it going?” He asks when I sit up in the chair.

“Almost finished.” I say comparing them.

“I don’t know why more people don’t have you draw them.” He says looking at it.

“It’s faster to just snap a photo.” I say fixing the tips of his hair. “Have they gotten here at the same time every day?” I ask looking up at him.

“Yeah about eight.”

I close my book putting my things away. “I’ll see you at eight then.” I say to Jack leaving the shop.

I walk into the house seeing Kat dancing around the house with the vacuum cleaning the rug. Her music was playing so loud she didn’t notice me come in.

I walk over to the stereo turning it down. She looks up from her trance at me. “What was that for?” She asks sounding offended.

I start laughing at her sitting on the couch. “I got my pencil back.”

“See I told you Jack or Emma would have it.” She says turning off the vacuum.

“Actually it was one of those guys from yesterday. I was putting my bag down and when I turned around one of them was standing there. He looked twelve!” I say laughing.

“Well what did he say?” She asked fully interested now.

“I have no clue.” I say laughing. “All I caught was hello and then he talked so fast I couldn’t catch it. He ran out the door before I could actually even thank him so I just yelled it after him.”

“Aww! You scared him!” She says laughing.

“All I did was smile!” I say trying to defend myself.

“I’m sure he wasn’t twelve though.” She says rolling her eyes.

“Wanna see?” I pulled out my sketch book flipping to the page he was on. “I know he isn’t twelve but he is so young!” I say showing her.

She scrunches her face looking at him. “He looks familiar.” She says studying it more.

“You probably have seen him around when you take photos.” I then stand up walking into the kitchen to make lunch. “I’m going to go back tomorrow at eight so I can actually say thank you to him. I hope he stays long enough that I can draw him again. It’s so much better when the person is actually in front of you and you’re not using a picture of them.” I walk back into the living room with my sandwich seeing she was gone. “Well where did you go?” I shout.

I set my plate down on the coffee table then walk into her room seeing her standing there fixing one of her posters. “Hey I was talking still.” I say laughing at her.

Kat’s POV

Maranda walks into the kitchen and I stand up to go to my room. I knew it wasn’t that I had seen him around here. I knew this guy more than that. I start scanning all of my Kpop posters in my room holding Maranda’s drawing when I found it.

“Kookie.” I gasp.

I knew she had no idea who he was. She didn’t listen to BTS unless it came on her Pandora from her Big Bang station. I could say BTS and she wouldn’t have a clue what I was talking about though.

I quickly pull down the poster rolling it up putting it away in a tube. I grab a box from my closet throwing anything with BTS into it before throwing it into the back of my closet. I put up a new poster knowing she would notice the blank spot but have no idea what was missing. Still wasn’t going to take the chance.

Maranda’s POV

“Oh! Sorry.” She says turning around to me.

“So like I said. I’m going back tomorrow to thank him.”

I walk into the shop the next morning seeing the three of them sitting at a table. He had been watching the door when I walked in and quickly looked away seeing me. I smiled walking over to him and lightly tapping his shoulder.

He turned looking at me with a shocked look on his face and wide eyes. My smile got a little bigger from the look he was giving me.

“Hi. I just wanted to say thank you for my pencil. You ran out before I could yesterday.” I say to him. He continued looking at me in awe so I turned around walking over to my table to put my things down before getting my drink.

I started drawing him again. His friends were talking to him in hushed tones. They seemed to be trying to get him to come over here. I couldn’t help but smile at their efforts. I glanced up at him every few seconds to get a good look at him before sketching. The one who smiled at me the day before noticed and got his attention.

He looked over at me so I quickly looked back down to continue. We continued our little game until I was almost finished with the drawing and my tea. I notice him stand up and start to slowly make his way over to me. I close my book so he doesn’t see it was him. I smile looking up at him once he is in front of me.

“Umm. Hi.” He stutters out.

“Hey.” I say still smiling up at him.

“I’m sorry about how I acted yesterday.” He says scratching the back of his head looking at the floor.

“Oh it’s ok. Do you want to sit down?” I suggest pointing to the chair in front of me.

“Yeah.” He says quickly sitting down.

“So I didn’t quite catch your name. What was it?”

“Jungkook.”

“Maranda.” I say stretching out my hand.

Notes